This invention relates to an information input device, such as a scanner, incorporated in a digital copy machine connected to a network, for scanning images on a document, registering, in a database, the images, and retrieving the images registered in the database.
There is a conventional information input device, such as a scanner connected to a network, which has a function of reading document images, registering them in a storage, and retrieving the registered images. For example, a digital copy machine connected to a network can be used as an information input device having such a function. This digital copy machine reads document images using its scanner section for reading images, and registers the read images in a server connected to the network. At this time, the digital copy machine registers the document images and also attribute information corresponding thereto. On the basis of, for example, the attribute information, the document images registered in the server are retrieved.
Japanese Patent Application KOKAI Publication No. 10-312456 discloses a technique for realizing such a function. When, in this technique, a start button incorporated in a digital copy machine has been turned on, image input means and attribute information creating means incorporated in the machine create image data and attribute information, respectively. The image data and the attribute information are transferred by transfer means to storage means incorporated in that server on a network, to which a network address stored in the address storage means of the digital copy machine is assigned. The image data and the attribute information are published by publishing means incorporated in the server, and can be accessed through, for example, the access means of a data-retrieving personal computer on the network.
Further, there is a technique for reading a document while attaching a header sheet and a trailer sheet thereto, and registering the document in an image database and information concerning the document in a registry database.
Japanese Patent Application KOKAI Publication No. 62-267876 discloses a technique for realizing this function. This technique relates to an image registering system for use in an image file apparatus for registering document images. The image file apparatus comprises a registry database for retrieving a registered document, an image database storing images on each registered document, a registry matter database registering connection data to be used for making the registry database correspond to the image database, input means for inputting a document to obtain image data corresponding thereto, recognition means for recognizing alphanumeric characters or other signs from image data, and control means for controlling the aforementioned databases, the input means and the recognition means so as to process data. When registering images on a document, a header sheet and a trailer sheet are respectively provided before the front cover and after the back cover of the document that is in the form of a composite volume and has its pages arranged in ascending order or in descending order, or before the front cover and after the back cover of a document that is in the form of sheets including common data. The header sheet has at least first, second and third symbol frames—the first symbol frame that records a symbol indicating whether the document is in the form of a composite volume or in the form of slips, a symbol indicating whether data is printed on both sides of each page of the document or on one side thereof, a symbol indicating a front side or a back side when data is printed on both sides of each page of the document, or a symbol indicating whether the document pages are arranged in ascending order or in descending order; at least two second symbol frames that record the classification or document number of the document pages; and the third symbol frame that records a symbol indicating whether the sheet is the header sheet or the trailer sheet. The header sheet, the document in the form of a composite volume or in the form of slips, and the trailer sheet are input in this order via the input means, and the symbols recorded in the symbol frames recognized by the recognition means, thereby making documents, stored in the registry database and the image database, correspond to each other.
In the above-described prior techniques, it is necessary to individually execute processing for registering document images in a voluntarily selected folder, and processing for registering, into a full-text-search database, the result of character recognition processing (OCR processing) executed on the registered document images. Thus, OCR processing is executed after images on each document are registered. Therefore, it is troublesome to execute document image registration and character recognition processing for retrieving document images.
Moreover, when, in the prior technique, executing OCR processing to retrieve a registered document image, operation buttons for setting conditions to increase the efficiency of OCR processing cannot be prepared in advance for various types of document images. Accordingly, when executing OCR processing, an operation button suitable for each document image cannot be selected.
As described above, when, in the prior art, automatically executing OCR processing on scanned document images, the user must operate various setting means for enhancing OCR processing, in addition to the scanning/inputting operation of document images. This means that time and effort are required for correction executed after the scanning operation, and high character recognizing accuracy cannot be obtained.